Sporterising
Encyclopedia
Sporterising, sporterisation, or sporterization refers to the practice of modifying military-type firearms either to make them suitable for civilian sporting use or to make them legal under the law.
, the shortening of the fore-end, and (in some cases) the fitting of a new stock. Sporterised rifles may be re-finished or otherwise customized to the tastes or requirements of the individual owner- for example, shortening the barrel, adding a flash suppressor, or even rechambering the firearm in a different caliber.
Large numbers of military surplus rifles were sporterised in the 1950s and 1960s- especially Lee-Enfield
, M1903 Springfield, and Mauser K98 rifles, which were in abundant supply after WWII, and therefore cheaper to acquire than a newly manufactured commercial hunting rifle.
SMLE Mk III
rifles, in particular, were popular for sporterisation in Australia
, New Zealand
, and South Africa
, with many being converted to wildcat
calibers such as .303/25
owing to both the difficulties of importing foreign-made rifles (due largely to economic factors), and also restrictions in the state of New South Wales
on the ownership of firearms "of a military caliber", interpreted to mean the .303 British
cartridge then in use by the British and Commonwealth
militaries. Even in states and countries where there were no such restrictions, many sporting shooters at the time found it expedient to cut down their ex-military SMLEs, in the interests of reducing weight or improving handling.
The practice of sporterising is now frowned upon, as military surplus rifles are highly collectible in original condition, and commercial hunting rifles are now affordable enough- and available in a wide enough range of configurations and calibers- to render the practice of sporterisation unnecessary.
A number of "Commercial" sporting conversions of military surplus arms were undertaken in the 1950s by the Gibbs Rifle Co. and Navy Arms in the USA. These rifles are often considered to be collectible in their own right, and are not generally regarded as being "sporterised" in the usual sense of the word.
s are marketed as Sporter or S models.
The term "sporterising" is also used by some gun control
advocates to describe the practice by gun manufacturers of producing civilian models of military-style weapons by removing legally restricted features. For example, a manufacturer might have replaced a pistol grip
with a thumb-hole stock, or a flash suppressor
with a muzzle brake
,in order to comply with legislation such as the (now expired) US
Federal Assault Weapons Ban
. Similarly the design of a rifle may be altered in order to prevent it being fired in automatic or burst mode in order to comply with a region's statutes. Some gun-control advocates consider these civilian models an attempt to circumvent the intent of the laws.
Modifying for sporting use
Modifying for sporting use can involve the addition of a commercial, variable power Telescopic sightTelescopic sight
A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a sighting device that is based on an optical refracting telescope. They are equipped with some form of graphic image pattern mounted in an optically appropriate position in their optical system to give an accurate aiming point...
, the shortening of the fore-end, and (in some cases) the fitting of a new stock. Sporterised rifles may be re-finished or otherwise customized to the tastes or requirements of the individual owner- for example, shortening the barrel, adding a flash suppressor, or even rechambering the firearm in a different caliber.
Large numbers of military surplus rifles were sporterised in the 1950s and 1960s- especially Lee-Enfield
Lee-Enfield
The Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century...
, M1903 Springfield, and Mauser K98 rifles, which were in abundant supply after WWII, and therefore cheaper to acquire than a newly manufactured commercial hunting rifle.
SMLE Mk III
Lee-Enfield
The Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century...
rifles, in particular, were popular for sporterisation in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, with many being converted to wildcat
Wildcat cartridge
A wildcat cartridge, or wildcat, is a custom cartridge for which ammunition and firearms are not mass produced. These cartridges are often created in order to optimize a certain performance characteristic of an existing commercial cartridge.Developing and using wildcat cartridges does not...
calibers such as .303/25
.303/25
The .303/25, sometimes known as the .25/303 is a wildcat centrefire rifle cartridge, based on the .303 British, necked down to fire a .257 projectile, originating in Australia in the 1940s as a cartridge for sporterised rifles, particularly on the Lee Enfield action, similar versions also appeared...
owing to both the difficulties of importing foreign-made rifles (due largely to economic factors), and also restrictions in the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
on the ownership of firearms "of a military caliber", interpreted to mean the .303 British
.303 British
.303 British, or 7.7x56mmR, is a .311 inch calibre rifle and machine gun cartridge first developed in Britain as a blackpowder round put into service in December 1888 for the Lee-Metford rifle, later adapted to use smokeless powders...
cartridge then in use by the British and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
militaries. Even in states and countries where there were no such restrictions, many sporting shooters at the time found it expedient to cut down their ex-military SMLEs, in the interests of reducing weight or improving handling.
The practice of sporterising is now frowned upon, as military surplus rifles are highly collectible in original condition, and commercial hunting rifles are now affordable enough- and available in a wide enough range of configurations and calibers- to render the practice of sporterisation unnecessary.
A number of "Commercial" sporting conversions of military surplus arms were undertaken in the 1950s by the Gibbs Rifle Co. and Navy Arms in the USA. These rifles are often considered to be collectible in their own right, and are not generally regarded as being "sporterised" in the usual sense of the word.
Modifying for compliance with legislation
Semiautomatic and civilian versions of assault rifleAssault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
s are marketed as Sporter or S models.
The term "sporterising" is also used by some gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
advocates to describe the practice by gun manufacturers of producing civilian models of military-style weapons by removing legally restricted features. For example, a manufacturer might have replaced a pistol grip
Pistol grip
On a firearm or other tool, the pistol grip is that portion of the mechanism that is held by the hand and orients the hand in a forward, vertical orientation, similar to the position one would take with a conventional pistol such as the M1911....
with a thumb-hole stock, or a flash suppressor
Flash suppressor
A flash suppressor, also known as a flash guard, flash eliminator, flash hider, or flash cone, is a device attached to the muzzle of a rifle or other gun that reduces the visible signature of the burning gases that exit the muzzle. This reduces the chances that the shooter will be blinded in dark...
with a muzzle brake
Muzzle brake
Muzzle brakes and recoil compensators are devices that are fitted to the muzzle of a firearm or cannon to redirect propellant gases with the effect of countering both recoil of the gun and unwanted rising of the barrel during rapid fire...
,in order to comply with legislation such as the (now expired) US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Federal Assault Weapons Ban
Federal assault weapons ban
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was a subtitle of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a federal law in the United States that included a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms, so called "assault weapons"...
. Similarly the design of a rifle may be altered in order to prevent it being fired in automatic or burst mode in order to comply with a region's statutes. Some gun-control advocates consider these civilian models an attempt to circumvent the intent of the laws.